I work as a benefits advisor for a local Mind in London. Each day I personally see the negative impact that face-to-face assessments can have on the people that I support. For some people face-to-face assessments are a huge hurdle, as the thought of going somewhere unfamiliar, going on public transport or having a stranger…
Read More All of us should be able to turn to a benefits system that’s there for us when we need it. Benefits can give us the security we need to focus on moving forward with our lives. Since the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, the government has temporarily suspended all mandatory face-to-face benefits assessments to keep people safe. …
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Checking in with your family, friends and colleagues is always important, but especially now when many of us may be feeling worried or anxious about coronavirus (also known as COVID-19). While the focus is on physical health, the current situation may also be challenging when it comes to our mental health. You might not be…
Read More The current rate of Statutory Sick Pay is far too low. We’re calling for it to be raised to the minimum wage. This would be based on the number of hours someone usually works. This is a basic level of income that would reduce the risk of people being put into poverty by simply being unwell….
Read More Hopefully you’ll have seen our recent emails introducing our work on Statutory Sick Pay – a key part of our all-new campaign on mental health and employment. For those who are eligible, the current minimum rate an employer can pay an employee who is off sick is £94.25 a week. That’s far too low for…
Read More In March, Amber Rudd, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, gave a speech about changing the way disability benefits work. She said that she didn’t want disabled people to feel ‘put on trial’ when they go for benefits assessments. It’s important to see someone in power recognise that, for too many disabled people, the…
Read More Mind is joining campaigners from fifteen countries as part of the Speak Your Mind campaign. We want to see a world where everyone, everywhere, has someone to turn to in support of their mental health. Mental health is receiving more attention than ever before. Today we’re calling for the Prime Minister to commit to making mental…
Read More You may have heard that last week Amber Rudd was appointed as the new Work and Pensions Secretary. The person in that role has the power to make a huge difference to the lives of people with mental health problems. Whether it’s the roll-out of Universal Credit or problems with PIP, we know that right now…
Read More You might already know a lot about this. But we know that many people don’t, even though they might be affected by mental health problems themselves. It’s so important that people understand what they’re going through, and that it’s ok to ask for help when things don’t feel right. So this World Mental Health Day…
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Hi Last week, we told you we wouldn’t give up campaigning to improve the benefits system for people with mental health problems. So I’m emailing to give you an update on a couple of things we’re doing to keep the pressure up. A few weeks ago, hundreds of Mind campaigners sent their stories to the…
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